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An unusual case of stridor due to osteophytes of the cervical spine: (Forestier's disease)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

K. Papakostas ,
A. Thakar ,
V. Nandapalan  and
G. O'Sullivan
K. Papakostas*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Arrowe Park Hospital, Upton, Wirral, Merseyside, UK.
A. Thakar
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Arrowe Park Hospital, Upton, Wirral, Merseyside, UK.
V. Nandapalan
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Arrowe Park Hospital, Upton, Wirral, Merseyside, UK.
G. O'Sullivan
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Arrowe Park Hospital, Upton, Wirral, Merseyside, UK.
*
Address for correspondence: Mr K. Papakostas, ENT Department, University Hospital Aintree, Longmoor Lane, Liverpool L9 7AL.
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Abstract

Stridor is a noisy breathing caused by compromised airway in the larynx and trachea. The causes can either be due to intrinsic or extrinsic compression. Stridor resulting from extrinsic compression due to anterior cervical osteophytes is rare.

We report an unusual case of acute stridor due to an osteophytic mass in the cervical vertebrae resulting in a mechanical upper airway obstruction. The underlying pathology was Forestier's disease or diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH). Stridor is a rare manifestation of DISH and it certainly represents the most lifethreatening one. Only a few cases have been reported in the English literature and are mainly secondary to impaired function of the vocal folds, or postcricoid ulceration and oedema. We present such a case, in that stridor was the result of direct airway obstruction by the osteophytic mass and an emergency tracheostomy had to be performed to establish an airway.

Keywords

StridorSpinal Osteophytosis, Forestier's disease
Type
Clinical Records
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 113 , Issue 1 , January 1999 , pp. 65 - 67
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1999

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